Today marks the beginning of a voluntary abstinence training program for students in Concordia Parish. The program is intended to help put a stop to youth having sex before marriage.

The classes, taught by community volunteers, are intended to reinforce the beliefs of most parents. And while those beliefs and practices should be taught in our community’s homes and churches, obviously the message isn’t being heard.

&uot;They need to hear it from those they don’t go to church with,&uot; said Tonette Owens of Ridgecrest. &uot;They need to know it’s not a one-sided deal.&uot;

Owens is one of dozens of parents who signed consent forms to allow their children to participate in the 12-week program.

The Abstinence Council of Concordia Parish will operate the program with the help of a $96,000 state-sponsored grant. The program is entitled WAIT (Why Am I Tempted) Training.

Teen pregnancy is a problem everywhere, but especially in Concordia Parish, which holds the dubious distinction of having the highest rate of teen pregnancy in the state of Louisiana.

The hope is that, through programs such as WAIT Training, the message to abstain gets through.

The benefit of getting that message home is multi-faceted. Aside from the obvious moral aspect of it, teen pregnancy costs taxpayers millions of dollars in caring for young moms and their babies and for the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.